India, March 19 -- At most Indian dining tables, we first reach for roti while it's soft, rice while it's steaming - carbs first, almost instinctively. But emerging research suggests that this is what may be setting off the post-lunch fog, energy dips and 4pm cravings. The fix isn't cutting carbs or shrinking your portions. It's sequencing them. The idea comes from a 2025 study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in which researchers led by Dr Saeko Imai asked patients with type 2 diabetes to simply eat vegetables before carbs. No food bans. No calorie math. Two years later, their HbA1c levels dropped from 8.3% to 6.8%.

Most good-eating guides advocate something similar: Eat your fibre first, follow with protein ...